Air Force civilians win presidential rank awards Published April 25, 2007 By Staff Sgt. Julie Weckerlein Air Force Print News WASHINGTON -- Seven Air Force Materiel Command civilians were among those presented with 2006 Presidential Rank Awards here in a ceremony held April 20 in the Women's Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery. The President of the United States annually awards distinguished and meritorious ranks to career members of the senior executive service, senior leader and scientific and professional government employees. "Today's award winners embody the service and excellence called for in our Air Force core values," said Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne. "They have not only shown their characters by choosing to serve their country, but have risen to such great heights that they are being recognized with awards from President George W. Bush." The awards covered a variety of functional expertise, from acquisition, science and technology to budget, services and legal operations. Other areas included: operations, logistics and warfighting integration; information, operations and space and missile systems; installations and environmental programs. "[The award winners] have excelled under extraordinary circumstances," said Secretary Wynne, "where our circumstances around the world - in both war zones and disaster areas -- have surged to unprecedented levels." AFMC's award winners include: 2006 Presidential Rank Award for Distinguished Senior Professional -- William L. Baker. Mr. Baker chairs the Department of Defense Reliance Panel For Directed Energy Weapons and coordinates all directed energy technology development in the DOD and is the nation's most inspirational and innovative technical leader in the research and development of directed energy weapons. He is part of the Air Force Research Laboratory's Directed Energy Directorate at Kirtland AFB, N.M. 2006 Presidential Rank Award for Distinguished Executive -- Timothy Dues. Mr. Dues is responsible for the depot maintenance and overhaul of the entire fleet of aircraft, engines and commodities conducted at the command's three air logistics centers. He is the functional manager for policy and procedures for workload planning, infrastructure management, production processes, and inter-service agreements, with a budget of more than $6 billion and a workforce of more than 20,000. Mr. Dues serves as deputy director for maintenance within Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command's Logistics Directorate. 2006 Presidential Rank Awards for Meritorious Senior Professional - Robert J. Arnold, David A. Hardy and Paul F. McManamon. As a technical advisor with the 46th Test Wing at Eglin AFB, Fla., Mr. Arnold has served on and contributed heavily to multiple Air Force level panels, test and evaluation forums and range commander council. Mr. Hardy was recognized for his contributions to the advancement of space science and technology toward maintaining and enhancing the preeminent position of the United States and in providing critical new space capabilities to the nation. He is the senior space experimentalist at AFRL's Space Vehicles Directorate at Kirtland AFB. Mr. McManamon was recognized for his dynamic and visionary leadership in the development of sensor and countermeasure technology for the Air Force, and for his international leadership of the optical engineering community. He has been elected as president of the International Society for Optical Engineering. Mr. McManamon works in AFRL's Sensors Directorate at Wright-Patterson AFB. 2006 Presidential Rank Awards for Meritorious Executive - Steven Butler and Frances Duntz. Mr. Butler was cited for enhancing the vitality of our nation's prized air and space system processes, the foundational scientific and engineering work force. He is assigned to Headquarters AFMC Engineering and Technical Management at Wright-Patterson AFB. Ms. Duntz' leadership and business acumen have created "the way ahead" for the Electronics System Center. Ms. Duntz, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is Deputy for Acquisition for ESC, located at Hanscom AFB, Mass.